Consumers create a lot of data on Facebook as they share posts and links and as they comment, like and share others’ posts. Now, using a tool called topic data, marketers can tap into that well of information to discover what Facebook users are saying about events, brands, subjects and activities on the social network.

The tool mines Facebook users’ posts for keywords and phrases to help marketers learn what consumers are saying about a particular topic or product.

For example, a fashion retailer can use topic data to see the styles its target audience is talking about to decide which products to stock. Or a beauty supplies retailer that sells a hair de-frizzing product can use the tool to find the demographics of people talking about how humidity affects their hair to better understand its target audience.

Marketers can also see words that regularly appear with a target word, such as “humidity” and “hair spray.”

Facebook says topic data can help guide marketers’ ad buys but cannot be used to target ads directly. Topic data is distinct from vendors’ tools because it examines all Facebook users’ posts rather than select samples, the social network says. Moreover, topic data delivers analyses and interpretations of the information, not actual topic data.

Facebook says it keeps users’ information private by grouping the data and stripping it of personal information.

The social network is working with data vendor DataSift to license the information; DataSift is also one of two vendors authorized to resell access to Twitter’s real-time and historical tweet stream. For now topic data is available only to a limited number of DataSift clients in the United States and United Kingdom, but Facebook says it plans to expand availability.